Lou Dawson's Backcountry Skiing Weblog

February 22 - 2005
The Ultimate Cabin Trip

Powder was had this past weekend.

We returned last night from a 3-day backcountry skiing cabin trip in the area between here and Crested Butte. Snowpack depth in this region (one of Colorado's "high snow micro climes"), is averaging about six feet (in sub-alpine zone below timberline). Our snow is building fast now that winter's wettest months are upon us. Should be plenty of terrific March and April powder backcountry skiing, along with the May/June spring snow season we long for every year. Photo story below, click images to enlarge.


Boone = access.	He can still...	get the goods.

Earn 'em!	Hello Boone.	Mike

Louie	Boone	Jason

Elk brats harvested nearby. Dangerous amount of protein.	Figuring slope angles before leaving cabin.	The crew. Telemark? What's that?

Our mission this trip: Two men, with 60+ years combined experience in avalanche safety, mentoring four strong and committed teenage skiers with their lives ahead of them. We began each day with weather radio and a group consensus on hazard level, then proceeded to group assessment, then set group goals based on hazard. The boys rated avy danger on this trip as Considerable/Extreme. Goals: Remember beacons are for finding dead people. With that in mind, find 100% avalanche safe powder then rip it. Aspen glades provided the key. Three days of avalanche safe backcountry powder skiing was the result.

Welcome to Louis (Lou) Dawson's backcountry skiing information and opinion website. Lou's passion for the past 35 years has been alpinism and back country skiing -- and all manner of outdoor recreation. He has authored numerous books and articles about backcountry skiing and snowboarding, and is well known as the first person to ski down all 54 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks, otherwise known as the famous Fourteeners! Books and free back country information here, as well as tons of Randonnee rando telemark backcountry skiing info.

All material on this website is copyrighted. Permission is required for reproduction, electronic or otherwise. That includes publication and display on other websites by whatever means. For more about this, PLEASE SEE OUR COPYRIGHT INFORMATION. Backcountry skiing is a dangerous sport. You may be killed or severely injured if you choose to do all forms of randonnée and randonnée skiing. The information on this website is intended only as general information for a variety of aspects of backcountry skiing and outdoor recreation. While the authors and editors of the information on this website make every effort to present useful information, due to human error the information contained within this website may be inaccurate, false, or out-of-date. By using the information provided on this website, you agree to absolve the owners of WildSnow.com of any liability for injuries or losses incured while using such information.

Always go backcountry skiing with a partner, and learn about avalanche safety before you ski outside of ski and snowboard resorts. The best season for this sport is late winter and spring, when the snowpack compacts and avalanche danger is more predictable. The Colorado wilderness backcountry skiing season reaches its prime in May and June. Maritime snow such as that of the Pacific Northwest may be less avalanche prone than continental snow of that such as Colorado and Wyoming. The California Sierra also provides a relatively reliable snowpack for backcountry skiing, snowboarders, snowmobilers, telemarkers and the like. Backcountry skiing is a wonderful sport, but it can transition in moments from wonder to tragedy. You agree to use any of this website's information, maps, photos, or binding mounting instuctions or templatates at your own risk, and waive Wildsnow.com its owners and contributors of any liability for use of said items.

Keywords: Ski Information, Info, Outdoors, Wilderness Skiing, Randonnée and randonnée, Ski Mountaineering, also Ski Alpinismo and Backcountry Skiing.